Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1887-07-22
THE USEFUL TRAVELLERS TREE.
It Furnishes Refreshment of Many Kinds
to People Of Madagascar.


It Furnishes Refreshment of Many Kinds |
to People OF Madagascar.
A European traveller, on his way from |
the coast Of Madagascar to the capital,
Tanarivo, in the interior, had enptied his
water flask and was suffering from |
thirst. He asked one of the natives of
his party when he should be able to OBJ
tain water. 'tAny time you like, said
the native, smiling. The European saw
no sign of springs of water; but the ma
tives conducted him to a group of tall,
palm like trees standing in cluster on
the edge Of the forest, with straight
trunks and bright green, broad leaves,
growing from the opposite sides of the
stalk, and making the tree appear like
great fan. The white man gazed admir-
ingly at the tree. ssYou think it is fine
tree,'' said the native, sbut viii show
you what it is good for
He pierced the root of one of the leaf
stems, at point where it joined the tree,
with his spear, whereupon stream of
clear water spurted out, which the
European caught in his water can and
found cool, fresh and excellent to
drink.
The party having satisfied their thirst
and taken a supply, the native who had
spoken went on:
'sThis tree, which is good for us in
more ways than one, we call the travel
er's tree
But where does the water come from
that the tree contains!' asked the white
man. g Is it taken up from the soil?''
"Oh, no." said the native. 1.-THE
leaves drink in the rain that falls on
them, and when it has passed all through
them it becomes very pure and sweet. "
sand are there many of these trees on
the island3''
''There are SO many that sometimes
one sees no other trees for mile, and
very often we take no provision or water
when we travel, because we know that
we shall find the travellers tree
''And you say there are other things
that they are good for!'
The native answered by asking another
question.
''Do you remember he said, s.thc
village that we passed through this morn
ing, with its wooden huts rooted over
with leaves? Those hrts were made OF
nothing but the travellers tree. The
wood splits easily, but makes tough
planks for floors, and the walls of the
houses are made of bark.
with the branches we make the
rafters, and the leaves cover the roof
But this is not all that the good tree does
We are coming soon to a village whose
people know, and I will show vol
more"
The native was eager in his haste tt
show to the traveller what the tree had il
store for him, and the European, for hi
part, felt no little curiosity. They ar
rived soon at the village, and the guide
conducted the traveller to the hut of ;
friend, who received them very hospit
ably and soon spread meal for them.
First he placed upon sort of a table {
spread made of some vegetable substance
very light and pretty; then he set before
his guests two drinking vessels of ma
terial which the white man did not rec
ognize, and then he gave them two uten
sils, which, although rude in shape
served in the stead of knife and fork.
In the midst of the table he placed {
large bowl, filled with cream of very ap
petizing appearance. In another vesse
there was quantity of oil, with almonds
floating upon it.
''BeIore we begin, said the guide, -
must tell you what promised. Every
thing that there is upon this table come.
from the travellers tree. You see thi
table cloth? 1t is made of the fibers o.
the leaves of the tree.
'tThese drinking cups, these plates
these knives are made of the wood or tn
bark of the tree. What you take to b
the cream is dish made of the seeds o
the tree, pounded up with meal ant
mixed with kind of milk drawn from
the trunk Of the tree.
"What you think are almonds are Lit
tie cakes made of these seeds, and the OF
is pressed from the skin or shuck of th'
seed. AS for the water you arc about t
drink. yo3 know that already. And WI
set not only these things, but some of th'
people of Madagascar have made a kint
of cloth that they wear out of the fiber o
the wood. Youths Companion.